Magazines tend to be full of dieting articles on how to drop 5 to 10 kilos, but plenty of Australians need to lose a whole lot more than that to have a healthy BMI (between 18.5 and 24.9).

Obesity is a rising epidemic and significantly affects a woman’s ability to conceive by causing hormonal imbalances and problems with ovulation. Gastric sleeve surgery, and other bariatric surgeries, can produce positive changes in fertility.

Gastric bypass surgery has the greatest potential weight loss and has become a popular surgical option. It is also known to reverse the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes.

You are often told that keeping to a strict diet and exercise regime is the key to long-term weight loss success – and it is. But preserving your dedication to this plan is another thing entirely. In this video, Dr Mike explains why cheat meals are actually a positive thing for your diet, as well as your end goal.

Weight training often conjures up images of beefy body builders pumping iron but, the truth is, weight training is an important part of creating and maintaining a healthy physique and may help hone that dream body more efficiently than cardio training alone. 

When most of us embark on a diet, we do it for weight loss and for improved health, but dieting can have some other important benefits too.